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Märklin profitable, says administrator; Lionel Model Trains interested in purchase?
I hope Lionel doesn’t buy Marklin. They’ll ruin Marklin’s good reputation!
If only Marklin could segment its market , providing more US and Canadian roadnames to the North American marketplace , while retaining the Euro look which no doubt makes the products popular in continental Europe.
I’d love to solve wiring problems with their depressed stub third rail electric pickups, but not at the expense of rolling stock which looks totally unfamiliar unless I am watching a foreign film.
I’d love it if Marklin brought out more US equipment. I’d consider getting out of N-Scale if they do. Like Jason Johnson, I, too, wonder that if Lionel bought Marklin that their good reputation would be lost.
I do not think that anyones reputation would be ruined. Lionel builds a good toy train and Marklin is more scale. Lionel would probably not change anything. What bothers me is if lionel would remain a stable company after the sale.
I wouldn’t be too worried about them failing. I recall a time when the name Model Power left a bad taste in my mouth. Since they bought Mantua they became half the reason I switched to N scale steam.
I think both companies have alot to offer each other to appeal to both U.S. and European markets and I would be interested to see what they come up with.
[California] After reading several comments about Lionel ruining someones reputation if they purchased them , I have to say, thats a bunch of Malarkey ! If a company is in bad enough shape already for someone to buy them up to save their bacon , it would seem to me that their reputation maybe in doubt already ! Lionels Reputation will never be in doubt , they have survived 110 years of ups and downs and are still strong, stronger than ever ! Marklin is a wonderful Company with a very good product , I do not have but one piece of Marklin in HO scale and it’s their fantastic Magnetic Gantry Crane that I’m using on my present, underconstruction , HO Layout. Yes , you are right , I’m hard core Lionel and will always be ! Joshua Lionel Cowen, you are my Hero! Jim Spears
Boy, talk about things coming full circle! Lets not forget, Marklin (Maerklin?) invented 3-rail track (in 1891), and the eight-to-the-circle three-straights-equals-circle-diameter geometry that made Lionel (and Ives, etc.) king of the Christmas tree. When I was a kid, Maerklin made ELECTRIC TRAINS, not model railroad equipment. Now it’s all super-detailed plastic and fancy plastic track and digital control. Lionel, too. (Hey, does that make modern Maerklin HO Hi-rail?..) If Maerklin is making money again and Lionel wants to buy them, well, good! That’s globalization! That’s progress!
I model in HO and HOn3 as a serious craftsman, but I also have a substantial collection of early post-war Lionel and Maerklin, and I love them both.
I have both Lionel and Marklin trains. My layout is Marklin and I would love to see Marklin offer more American trains! Keeping my fingers crossed!